Thread by @TWMCLtd

🇬🇧Welcome to Day 437 of #Russia's war on #Ukraine

If you are citizen of the Commonwealth, Happy Coronation Day, or if you're a Republican, just enjoy the weekend😅

This is the daily thread for Saturday with all the news in one thread, updated throughout the day.

Let's start in occupied #Crimea, where chat sites make pleasant reading this morning:

08:04 "A loud bang was heard in the #Krasnogvardeyskoye district"
08:05 "a good roar sounded. Dzhankoy-Krasnogvardeyskoye"
08:05 "strong 'cotton' in Krasnogvardeyskoye."

Here's what was seen

#Russia's Occupiers on #Crimea insist air defence worked in the north of Crimea "there were no casualties or destruction"

Oh but then the Kerch Bridge was unexpectedly closed. Guards told these people "threat of an attack" but later authorities say it's "for technical reasons"🤡

I must admit I was quite surprised to be greeted with home pages like this as I scoured #Ukraine's media this morning!

Live coverage from London in text and video...

One reason #Ukraine has found a new, and deep affection, for Britain is of course its unequivocal support from Day 1 of the war.

As a Brit I was really touched by #Kyiv's Ministry of Defence's Official "thank you" video to the #UK for this special day
#LondonCalling #Coronation

Daily losses time!
Again, incredibly high numbers of #Russia's artillery systems and vehicles/fuel tanks were taken out in the last 24 hours*

Plus another 560 burials to arrange back in the Terrorist State.

* #Ukraine estimate

Yesterday in the thread I wrote about reasons why #Russia was cancelling so many of its 9 May parades.

British Intel today gives its own version.

#StandWithUkraine #StopRussiaNOW

Local Telegram channels in #Zaporizhzhia report another massive hit on #Russia's troops.

They say in the village of #Novovolodymyrivka, north of #Melitopol', #Ukraine scouts found their base near the pumping station and it was obliterated yesterday afternoon with many dead.

Yesterday I wrote about #Ukraine for the first time bringing down #Russia's "Kinzhal" missile.

Ukraine later denied this. But today they admit it is true. The US Patriot system managed to hit the much-vaunted hypersonic rocket.

#SlavaUkraini #StopRussia

A senior official has revealed some western leaders urged #Ukraine not to try to liberate #Crimea.

Tamila Tasheva, Ukraine's spokeswoman for Crimea, told a Polish news agency that some partners were scared it would lead to nuclear war.

pap.pl/aktualnosci/ne…

Late last night I reported of #Russia's drones over #Dnipropetrovsk region.

In total it seems all 8 "Shahed" attack UAVs were shot down, with no reports of damage.

These shots came from wreckage in #KryvyiRih

Unwanted spectacle in downtown #Kyiv this morning.

A water main burst, causing this scene on Velyka Vasylkivska.

#StandWithUkraine

I didn't know about this case, but the persecution of Crimean Tatars has never stopped.
Once again Putin treads in the footsteps of the great ogre and tyrant Stalin.

In #Kazakhstan a bus driver apparently tried to force a sports team to speak Russian.

The guys in the city of Pavlodar responded with a version of the Kazakh national anthem!

#RussiansGoHome

#Wagner chief mercenary Prigozhin has today stated that he is in touch with Chechnya's Putin lick-spittle, Ramzan Kadyrov.

Yesterday after Progozhin published his video saying they will retreat from #Bakhmut, the Chechen "leader" pledged to send his men to the meat grinder.

1/2
News that one of #Russia's relatively big figures in the war is critically ill after an assassination attempt.

Zakhar Prilepin's audi was blown up in #NizhnyNovgorod, a large city 400km east of #Moscow. His driver was killed - a huge crater is reported to have been left..

2/2
Prilepin is regarded by many as an anti-semite, is friends and related by marriage to Putin's "grey cardinal" Surkov.

He even had a battalion named after him when he fought in #Donetsk. Thereafter he became a writer and propagandist.

Police now check many cars in the area:

3/

A little more on Prilepin, as the first video from the scene has been published, showing the huge crater and the wreckage.

Some write he lost both legs, but it seems more likely both are broken but may be salvageable. Other injuries not known yet, he was flown by helicopter.

In a statement on its' Telegram channel, the ATESH movement seems to have claimed responsibility for blowing up Zakhar Prilepin. Here's a translation of its post:

Thank you @Claws_se for buying me my first coffees of the day via the link in my bio.
Very much appreciated💙💛

Ko-fi.com/home/coffeesho…

The #Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been "switched off"

#Russia's "director" of the plant Yuri Chernichuk give not give a specific reason but said "ZNPP is serviced in accordance with all necessary regulations"

Yesterday the Occupiers began to evacuate #Enerhodar.

Prilepin's driver/guard, who died in the assassination attempt has been named.

Aleksandr Shubin fought for the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic", where he presumably met Prilepin.

#Russia announces another prisoner exchange - yet to be confirmed by #Ukraine.

TASS -
"On 6 May, as a result of a complex negotiation process, three Russian military personnel, pilots of the Russian Aerospace Forces, who were in mortal danger in captivity, were returned."

Among all the bans being introduced in #Russia, perhaps this is the strangest:

#StPetersburg has announced use of jet skis is forbidden from 7-10 May.

#RussiaIsATerroristState

#Russia is rpeorted to have already made an arrest following the car bomb attack on Prilepin.

TASS reports the detention happened near the village of #Pionersky, where the Audi was blown up.

Meanwhile the life of the 'writer' himself is not said to be in danger.

The latest genius design from #Russia is a "birdhouse" for a tank!

The Russian MoD says "The design creates a kind of canopy over the roof of the tower, where the armour is thin, covering it from attacks from above."

On the other hand, a bigger target🤣

#Ukraine gives details of what it achieved in the prisoner swap.

45 Ukrainians came home today, including 3 from Azovstal. In total 10 Officers and one soldier who had previously been in Russian captivity for 2.5 years.

📷TG Andriy Yermak

Another attack by #Russia on #Kherson happening now.

Meanwhile photos of the previous shelling in the region. #Beryslav and surrounding villages have been devastated.

#RussiaIsATerroristState

Occupiers announce that even more towns and villages in #Zaporizhzhia will be forcibly evacuated.

Yesterday the Russian installed "leaders" said 18 settlements would be evacuated.

#WarCrimes

#RussiaOnFire

There continuing to be so many fires raging in #Sverdlosk region. Many villages remain at risk.

A local channel made a montage of some of the apolocalyptic scenes.

This is the entrance to #Volgograd.
Except the sign says "Stalingrad" - renamed for the weekend. But the symbolism is not lost.
Even a decade ago there would have been a huge protest against this, but now #Putin's hero's reputation is restored, no longer a tyrant.

#Crimea has been assuring immigrant Russians that air defence has worked again.

Possible, but locals say two loud sounds were heard and big craters appear by Cossack Bay near #Sevastopol.

#CrimeaIsUkraine

#Ukraine's state energy company denies #Russia's earlier statement about a complete shutdown of the #Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Enerhoatom says "The statements of pro-Russian propaganda are not true" but adds it consumes electricity from Ukraine for its own needs.

#Russia's already publishing videos of the suspect admitting to the car bomb attack on extremist Prilepin

Some media report Aleksandr Permyakov is a Ukrainian who recently took Russian citizenship.
Of course he says he acted on the instructions of the Ukraine's special services.

Tragedy in #Kherson region where six demining experts have been killed by #Russia's shelling.

The employees of the State Emergency Service came under fire near the city. Two more people, including a female paramedic were injured.

#RussiaIsATerroristState

In #Vovchansk, a well known local landmark was destroyed.

A memorial sign by the L-29 plane in the town in #Kharkiv was struck by #Russia earlier today.

#StopRussiaNOW

#RussiaOnFire

These photos from #Russia's second city of #StPetersburg.

Something's ablaze in the Goorlovo industrial zone near the Volkhonskoye highway.

#Russia's Occupiers in #Donetsk saw two elderly women died today in shelling here.

The Petrovskyi district of the city was hit earlier today.

#DonetskIsUkraine

Here he is again! Back by popular demand - a busy week for "Calendar Man"

Here he is striking some poses in #Rubizhne near #Severodonestk in the #Luhansk region.

The Occupiers claim #Ukraine fired 4 #HIMARS at the town.
If 4 HIMARS hit, this place would not look like this!

Remember #Crimea's occupiers saying they destroyed two missiles fired at the peninsula earlier?

Well respected #Ukraine journalist Andrii Tsaplienko says something did hit a military airfield used by #Russia.

Now eagerly awaiting leaked info or satellite photos!

#SlavaUkraini

#RussiaOnFire

1/2
Extraordinary scenes and incompetence in #Russia's #Sverdlovsk region again.

Gunpowder stores have ignited as the wildfires continue to spread..

The village of #Pervomaisky is the latest to be evacuated.

2/2

Another scary video from the same area of #Sverdlovsk. 18 more warehouses of gunpowder are threatened - could be fun!

Back in January, one person died and 6 people were injured in an explosion at the Gefest-M enterprise there, which owns the gunpowder stores.
#RussiaonFire

In #Enerhodar locals report the local hospital is being evacuated.

Wounded soldiers were moved, presumably to #Berdyansk or #Crimea

The Operating Theatre and the gynaecology department are now closed as the Occupiers try to force residents to leave.